WWE superstar Zoey Stark has officially begun her recovery journey after undergoing surgery for a serious knee injury sustained during the May 19, 2025, episode of Monday Night RAW. The injury occurred during a high-stakes Women’s Money in the Bank qualifying match against Rhea Ripley and Kairi Sane.
The Injury
The devastating incident unfolded when Stark attempted a missile dropkick on Kairi Sane but landed awkwardly, causing her knee to buckle severely in the wrong direction. The impact was immediately apparent as Stark clutched her knee and cried out in pain, prompting WWE officials to quickly stop filming her for the broadcast. Medical personnel rushed to attend to her condition, and she was carefully carried backstage while the show cut to a commercial break.
The injury forced WWE to change the match’s outcome on the fly, as Stark was originally planned to take the pin in the triple-threat encounter. Rhea Ripley ultimately won the match and secured her spot in the Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match scheduled for June 7, 2025.
Surgery Confirmation and Recovery
Earlier today, Stark shared an update on her Instagram Stories showing her leg in a brace and cast, with the caption “Road to recovery starts now! Day 1”, officially confirming that she has undergone the anticipated surgical procedure.
Reports from WrestleBinge initially indicated that Stark was undergoing an MRI and would be heading into surgery following her injury, which has now been confirmed through her social media post.
Expected Recovery Timeline
According to reports from Fightful Select, WWE is preparing for Stark to miss the remainder of 2025, with initial fears backstage suggesting she suffered some kind of tear to the muscles in her knee. The injury is reportedly significant enough to sideline the 31-year-old performer for an extended period.
Stark’s Response to Fans
Following the injury, Stark took to social media to address her supporters with an emotional message: “Wow the love and support means more to me than you’ll ever know! What hurts more than my knee is knowing I wont be able to perform for all of you for a while. I LOVE what I do and I’m blessed to do this. As the saying goes, the comeback is greater than the setback. Love you guys #StarkMarks”
Career Context and Previous Injuries
This marks the second serious knee injury of Stark’s WWE career, as she previously underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL and meniscus in 2021. At that time, Stark revealed she had torn her ACL, MCL, and PCL during an NXT Halloween Havoc event.
Since being called up to the main roster in 2023 as part of the WWE Draft, Stark has established herself as a prominent figure on Monday Night RAW. She made an impactful debut and formed a high-profile alliance with WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus during the latter’s feud with Becky Lynch. More recently, she was part of a faction alongside Shayna Baszler and Sonya Deville before both departed the company.
Industry Support
Fellow wrestlers have rallied around Stark with messages of support. Rhea Ripley wrote, “Professional wrestling can be very real and dangerous… Tonight continued to prove that anything can happen. Wishing @ZoeyStarkWWE a speedy recovery!” Kairi Sane added, “I truly hope we get to face each other again when you’re ready. Wishing you a smooth recovery.”
While no official timeline has been released by WWE, Stark’s determination and previous successful comeback from a similar injury in 2021 provide hope for another strong recovery.